Past Mistakes and Second Chances
by renruta
Summary: An AU version of the Hotch/Prentiss journey. It was a day like any other, but little did Hotch know that stepping into an elevator would change his life for ever. And hopefully for the better. Hotly fic.
1. Chapter 1

_**A/N** - Hello anybody who is reading this (if anyone is!). This is just a random story idea that came into my head this morning while I was brushing my teeth! It's a Hotch/Prentiss fanfic so if you don't like the pairing don't read! Present day is set a few months after David Rossi rejoins the BAU team in Season 3. The Sixteen years previous is from when Hotch worked for Emily's mother. I haven't decided yet if I'm going to continue this story... I have written a lot more for it already but if you all think this is rubbish I'll just keep it to myself! Um... Yeah, think that's about everything! _

**Present Day.**

It was almost one year ago to the day that Emily Prentiss joined the BAU. It was a very rocky start but she eventually found she slotted into the team very well. She had to battle a number of demons in her first few months there but the toughest was Agent Aaron Hotchner. When she turned up for her first day of work at the BAU he told her that there was no way in hell she was part of his team. That wasn't the part that hurt the most though; _he_ almost didn't remember her.

He didn't recognise her at all, but it was sixteen years since he had last seen her, so she didn't blame him for that. But then even after hearing her name he didn't remember her straight away; it took him several, painstaking moments to put two and two together. And then he didn't seem to remember what University she had been going away to back then. No, it was clear to say that Aaron Hotchner did not remember her as well as she remembered him. But he was always bad at the memory game though, wasn't he.

/

**Sixteen years previous.**

"Morning." Prentiss smiled at the man lying half naked on her bedroom floor. She tried to remember at what point during the night he had gotten dressed, well half dressed, but she couldn't. Too much alcohol was her problem.

"Morning?" Hotch replied a little confused. What the hell was he doing on Emily Prentiss's floor? HALF NAKED. Oh Jesus… "What am I doing here?" He asked her as he stood up quickly. Oh God, Haley was going to kill him.

"You don't remember?" Prentiss asked him a little surprised.

"No…" Hotch said rubbing his temples. He really didn't have time to be playing games with the Ambassador's daughter.

"You stayed here last night…" Prentiss said trying to remind him. "You got a little too drunk at the party and I wouldn't let you drive home."

"Oh." Hotch groaned. "Haley is going to kill me… Please tell me I called her before I passed out?"

Haley. The Fiancée. Ok, aside from feeling insanely jealous, Prentiss was now starting to feel terrible. He has a Fiancée. A FIANCÉE! She had slept with an almost married man last night while his almost wife sat at home waiting for him. Emily Prentiss you are an awful, awful person. "No, I don't think you called her…" Prentiss said sadly. "So you don't remember anything from last night?" She asked him, trying her best to sound casual.

"Nothing." Hotch sighed. "I didn't make a fool of myself did I? It's just I don't normally get drunk. Ever. I only remember having one beer… I tried to stick to the punch… I shouldn't have even stayed for the party but the Ambassador insisted and…"

"You're rambling." Prentiss cut across him. She tried her very best to wipe the look of pain of her face; what did she expect though? She knew going into this last night that he was drunk. "The punch was alcoholic. Somebody put a lot of vodka in it."

Hotch groaned again. "A college send of party… I should have known the punch would be alcoholic."

"Listen, it's early." Prentiss said cutting to the chase. "Go home now and apologise like hell to her. She'll come around."

"Yeah, ok." Hotch nodded as he walked towards the door. "Enjoy your time at Yale…" he said softly as his attitude changed. This was the last time he would probably ever see Emily Prentiss. The Emily Prentiss. The Emily Prentiss who has been a constant source of guilt for him over the past two weeks. She was exceptionally beautiful, and smart, and funny, and entertaining. He felt terrible for liking her; one thing, he was practically married to the love of his life, Haley, and secondly; Emily was only 20… He was 27. It didn't stop him dreaming and fantasizing about her though. "I hope that, whatever you decide to do in life, you'll love and that you'll be very happy." He said sincerely.

"Thanks, Aaron." Prentiss smiled weakly. It was the goodbye speech she was expecting but didn't want. She wanted nothing more than to pull him into her bed and continue what they had been doing so well the night before. She was, unfortunately, captivated by his looks and good humour. With her thanks though, he was gone; forever.

/

**Present.**

Hotch stood impatiently in the elevator as he waited for the doors to shut. He was late back from a lunch and he really needed to not be late. The piles of paperwork gathering on his desk were going to keep him there late into the night already. "Hold the door." He heard somebody yell as they finally started to close. Momentarily, Hotch thought about letting them slide closed, but his better side won the battle and he held them open for the young boy running towards them.

"Thanks." The dark haired boy said gratefully as he stepped into the elevator.

"No Prob-Oh…" Hotch said suddenly noticing the young boy's appearance. "Are you ok?"

"Fine." The boy nodded as he tipped his head back and held a tissue back up to his bleeding nose. "At least I will be soon." He said as he felt blood running down the back of his throat.

"What happened?" Hotch asked growing more concerned. The boy was only about fifteen or sixteen and looked like he had been beaten pretty badly. From what Hotch saw, he had a potentially broken nose, a burst lip and a blackening eye.

"Nothing." The boy replied pressing five on the elevator. "Seriously, I'm fine." He said firmly. He was not in the mood to explain himself to anybody, especially not this guy.

"Who are you seeing on five?" Hotch asked him a little suspiciously. Five was his floor. He didn't like random people, including children, coming onto his floor.

"My Mom." The boy replied curtly.

Hotch nodded silently and waited to reach the fifth level. He then waited for the boy to step out before him so he could see who was his 'Mom'.

"Jesus Christ, Paul." Prentiss said in shock as she saw her son walking towards her. "What the hell happened to you?"

"Prentiss, you know this kid?" Hotch asked sharply. He suddenly realised that the boy had Prentiss's eyes.

"He's my son, Hotch." Prentiss replied not removing her eyes away from Paul. "You weren't in a fight where you?"

"I was mugged." Paul said shrugging his shoulders as his Mom removed the tissue from his hands. "They got my bag so I've no keys or phone so I came here."

"I'm really sorry about this, Hotch…" Prentiss said turning to her boss. "Is it alright if I sort this out?"

"Of course." Hotch nodded as he felt sorry for Prentiss. She looked terrified. "Do you want to use my office? The light is better in there…"

"No, it's alright, sir." Prentiss replied as she instructed her son to sit down at her desk. "You know, you teach them to give up their stuff in a mugging but boys being boys they put up a fight anyway."

"The male ego." Hotch said smiling a little. "If you need anything, let me know." He said sincerely as he walked up to his office and shut the door. How had he not known that Prentiss had a son? He had worked security clearance at her mother's house when Emily was there and he never saw a young baby. Obviously the boy, Paul he thought his name was, is younger than he first imagined. He looked out his office window and saw Prentiss attending to her son's injuries. It was a well known fact that Emily Prentiss was mothering by nature, and this sight proved it. Hotch watched as Paul tried to push his mother away several times before finally giving in to her. Hotch sighed as he tore his eyes away from the domestically cute sight and turned to his paper work. It wasn't long before his thoughts started to wander back to Emily Prentiss. That was not an unusual occurrence though. Since his divorce from Haley, Hotch had been thinking about her a lot more everyday.

/

**Sixteen years ago.**

"Haley…" Hotch said softly as he walked into his kitchen. "I am so sorry."

"I'm sure you are Aaron." Haley snapped bitterly. "But it doesn't mean I'm any less mad."

"I know." Hotch groaned. "I should have called. I was pulled into working late for Ambassador Prentiss and I ended up falling asleep there…"

"Is that why you stink of alcohol?" Haley snapped. "I didn't realise doing a security sweep meant drinking, Aaron."

"I went out after work…" Hotch said slowly. "I'm so sorry. I didn't want to come home in that state Haley." He said apologetically as he put his hands into his trousers pockets. What the? He thought as he removed something from the pocket. Oh Jesus… He groaned again and before he could take any action of hiding what he had just found he felt Haley storm past him and slam the front door. Hotch looked down at the empty blue condom wrapper in his hand and very quickly everything that had happened the night before flooded his mind.

/

**Present.**

Every touch, tingle and moan that came from that night were still etched in Hotch's mind and more than once he had dreamt about that night. Considering the sex with Prentiss, no Emily, had been so mind blowing he was still surprised he had forgotten the next morning. He obviously had a lot more of that punch than he first thought. Even As he sat in his office thinking about what happened that night he could feel his trousers getting a little tight. Emily Prentiss just had that effect on him. He looked back out of his office window and saw that Paul was now sitting on his own talking happily to Derek Morgan. From what Hotch could tell, the two knew each other. Paul, in Hotch's opinion, didn't look all that like his Mother. They both shared dark black hair, and he definitely had Emily's eyes, but other than that he didn't look like her. Maybe it was because his face was currently a little swollen and bloody?

"Come in." Hotch said as his eyes snapped from Paul to his now opening office door.

"Sir…" Prentiss said slowly as she walked into the room. She wasn't quite sure what was currently flowing through Hotch's mind but she could only hope it wasn't too intelligent.

"What can I do for you Em-Prentiss?" He asked, quickly covering his mistake. He could not call her Emily. It was far too personal considering they had once slept together. He briefly wondered if she remembered that night they spent together? He remembered the next morning that Emily seemed a little hurt when he said he remembered nothing so he took that as a sign that she did indeed remember.

"I was wondering if I could leave early?" Prentiss asked him slowly. "I think Paul has a broken nose so I want to take him to the hospital, just in case… And he needs to file a report at the Police Station…"

"Sure." Hotch nodded. "That's understandable. Is he alright?"

"He's fine." Prentiss smiled weakly. "He thinks he's a real tough guy now. He's currently telling Derek about the attack, in detail!" She said rolling her eyes. "I'm pretty sure I'll hear him telling a slightly less heroic version later on at the PD."

"Typical boy!" Hotch chuckled. "I would have been the same." He commented quietly. "I never knew you had a son, Prentiss…"

"You never asked." Prentiss said shrugging her shoulders. "It's not a secret that I have a family… Everyone else knows."

"Really?" Hotch asked a little surprised. "You don't wear a wedding ring." Jesus, he's been fantasizing about a married woman. How sleazy is that?

"You don't have to be married to have a child, Hotch." Prentiss said a little sharply. "Anyway, thanks for giving me the rest of the day off… I appreciate it."

"No problem." Hotch nodded as he watched her walk from the room. "Prentiss wait." He called after her as she was just about to close the door.

"Sir?" She asked him a little nervously.

"What age is Paul?" He asked her.

"He's fifteen, sir." Prentiss replied. "Sixteen next month." And with that she left his office and walked back down to her son. "Let's get going." She said as she helped him up from the seat.

Hotch felt like the wind had been knocked out of him. "Fifteen." He said aloud as if suddenly realising something. He quickly looked out the window once more and saw, to his horror, that Paul was smiling a two dimpled smile. Quickly he started working back the years and counting them on his fingers. It was… Sixteen years ago, well almost seventeen now, when he slept with Emily. So when he slept with her, she was either already pregnant or she got pregnant soon after that. Maybe she went to University and fell pregnant there? There was no way it could be his son. _No way_. They had used a condom, much to his resentment at the time. Yes, there was no way in hell Paul could be his son. Hotch was always careful.

/

**Later that evening.**

"Hotch?" Prentiss said a little surprised as she opened her apartment door. She had been expecting him to show up, but at the same time she wasn't expecting him. When it came to Aaron Hotchner she was never quite sure what was going on.

"Can I come in?" He asked her quietly as he stood on her doorstep looking in. His hair was sticking flat to his head because it was lashing rain outside. After much debate, he had walked from his own apartment, not two blocks away, to Prentiss's in the rain.

"Sure." Prentiss said stepping aside. "Is everything alright?" She asked slowly. She had a fair idea why he was standing at her door but she couldn't be 100% sure until he said it aloud.

"Thanks." Hotch replied as he stepped into her apartment. Straight away his eyes fell on the large window that looked out over DC. He had always been a little envious of her apartment's view since he came to stop her resigning not six months ago. "I'm not… Interrupting anything am I?" He asked her suddenly. He could almost kick himself for not calling and asking to come over first. He was intruding and really he had no right to.

"No, nothing at all." Prentiss said as she walked further into the apartment. "Do you want something to eat or drink?" She asked him politely. Being an Ambassador's daughter she had picked up some hospitality behaviours over the years.

"No I'm alright, thanks." Hotch said softly as he took his coat off. "I don't really know why I'm here…" He admitted. Well, he knew why he was here but really he didn't know if he wanted to be here for that reason.

"Oh…" Prentiss replied. She understood now exactly what he was here for. Hotch had put two and two together and now he needed answers to the thousands of questions that where running through his mind. "Do you- Where are you going?" Prentiss asked, her attention suddenly snapping to her son Paul who was now walking past her towards the door.

"Out." Paul replied as he pulled on his jacket. "Tyler's coming to pick me up."

"I think not!" Prentiss laughed. "You're not going out."

"It's not a school night." Paul protested. "I have a life Mom."

"You can have a couple friends around, but you're not going out." Prentiss said firmly. "You have a slight concussion."

"Emphasize the word S-L-I-G-H-T." Paul said cheekily. "I want to go out." He said determinedly.

"Tyler, Brent and Dave can come over." Prentiss said after thinking about it briefly. "Dinner for you all on me... I'm open to a counter Compromise with your terms if they're within reason." She said. Hotch tried his very best to keep a straight face as he heard Prentiss interact with her son. It was so… Agency styled. So Emily.

"Tyler, Brent, and Dave can come over… Past curfew…" Paul replied. "Pizza for dinner, on you. And Gemma can come."

"She can come if you stay downstairs…" Prentiss said seriously.

"Mom, we're hardly going to do anything with the guys sitting there…" Paul scoffed. "Or with you downstairs… Or… I mean ever." Paul added quickly as he saw his mother's glare. "Until marriage and all that." He said turning a little pink as he looked from his mother to Hotch.

"Fine." Prentiss said giving in. "But expect unexpected visits from me throughout the night."

"Already expected!" Paul chuckled as he grabbed the phone from the counter in the kitchen and then ran back up the stairs.

"Sorry about that." Prentiss said a little embarrassed to Hotch. "He's going to be a lawyer when he's older… Or a politician."

"I'm sure the Ambassador will love that." Hotch said as his lips quirked up slightly.

"I'm sure she will!" Prentiss chuckled. "So what can I do for you?" She asked him as she took a seat at the kitchen barista.

"Mom, do you want anything from the pizza place?" Paul called down the stairs. "Or does your man?"

"You want anything?" Prentiss asked Hotch.

"No, I'm ok thanks." Hotch replied politely.

"No thanks." Prentiss called up to Paul.

"We need to talk… I think…" Hotch said slowly as he took a seat across from Emily. "But I'm not sure if now is a good time for you or not with… With Paul here…"

"He'll be completely engrossed in his video games." Prentiss replied. "So we're good to talk now if you want to?" She asked him softly. "I may have an idea about what you're here for…"

"Paul's um…" Hotch began saying but stopped. How the hell is he supposed to start this conversation? "Paul's father…" He began again.

"Ah, you remember." Prentiss said nodding as Hotch stopped talking again.

"Your going away party…" Hotch said quietly. "I remember that night."

"All of it?" Prentiss asked him.

"All of it." Hotch nodded. "I didn't at first… But I quickly remembered once I had left the next day…"

"I figured you would remember eventually." Prentiss smiled weakly. "Alcohol doesn't really block your memory forever…"

"We… We…" Hotch tried to continue but couldn't.

"You want to know if Paul's a result of that night?" Prentiss said getting to the point. If they played this game Hotch's way it would take another year or so and she didn't have that long. Pizza would be arriving soon.

"Yes…" Hotch said slowly. "I know I don't really have any ground to stand on here but…"

"I got pregnant that night." Prentiss said quietly.

"Oh…" Hotch said trailing off. He had expected her to say that but it still came as a shock to him. He had a son. A son other than his two year old Jack.

"Before you say anything else…" Prentiss said quickly. "I didn't tell you because you didn't remember that night at all. And you had a fiancée which made me feel so awful. I didn't find out I was pregnant until I was already in Yale and I just… Decided I wanted to do it on my own. I didn't want to burden you… I know you have every right to be pissed off with me but take into some consideration my side of all this… I was only twenty…"

"I'm not mad, Emily…" Hotch said softly as he gently placed his hand on hers. "I…"

"Can we have Chinese for dinner?"

Hotch felt Prentiss snap her hand back from his as she quickly turned around to look at Paul. Paul obviously took after his mother in the sense that he never quite knew what he wanted for dinner.

"We're having pizza." Prentiss replied.

"That's not fair." He replied bitterly. "Just because Paul got mugged, which is his own fault, you're letting him get whatever he wants."

"Craig…" Prentiss trialled off. "Just… Fine, you can have Chinese." She said defeated.

"Craig?" Hotch said as his voice caught in his throat. Jesus, Paul had an identical twin. The only difference in their appearance was that Paul was a little beaten up and Craig wasn't. How did he not notice that when Craig walked in?

"Can Sarah come over too?" Craig asked hopeful. "If you're letting Gemma come over…"

"Fine." Prentiss replied quickly. "But you two are to stay downstairs. End. Of. Discussion."

"Paul's allowed-" Chris began to say but Prentiss cut across.

"Paul isn't you." Prentiss said firmly. "He has a little more self control and decorum than you do."

"That was ONE time." Craig replied. "Seriously."

"Yeah, one time plus all the others." Prentiss snorted. "Downstairs kiddo."

"You really suck." Craig replied before turning to go back up the stairs. "If Sarah and I have to stay down stairs, that goes for you and him." Craig winked before he walked up the stairs.

"There's… Two…" Hotch said, still gasping for air. Twins. TWINS.

"There is definitely two." Prentiss sighed. "You're getting mad now right…"

"No, just having a small stroke." Hotch replied dryly. "We have twice as much to talk about as I thought we did…"

"I can't tell if there was a slight joke thrown into that sentence." Prentiss smiled weakly. "We don't have to talk about anything if you don't want to…" Prentiss said suddenly serious. "We've gone almost sixteen years without having you around… What I mean is… You don't have to hear anymore about this… There's no obligation or expectation."

"They're my sons, Emily…" Hotch said slowly. "If I had of known about them years ago…"

"You would have been there." Prentiss nodded. "I know. You're that guy."

"Things are more complicated now…" Hotch said a little sadly. "If they were only little… Well, it would be easier to tell them about all of this. Easier for me to slot into their lives… But now?"

"Now it's going to be more difficult." Prentiss sighed. "Do you want to... I don't know…? Be in their lives?"

"Yes." Hotch replied sincerely. "I've missed fifteen years though. How do I make that up to them?"

"You don't." Craig shrugged as he walked towards Prentiss with the phone. "They need your credit card details and they won't take them from me for some reason. I ordered you your usual, by the way."

Dumbfounded, Prentiss took the phone from Craig and finished the call. "It'll be here in half an hour." She said slowly as she searched her son's face for something. What that something was she wasn't quite sure though.

"Don't look at me like that Mom." Craig said seriously. Hotch was surprised to hear that Craig sounded very like himself. They had the same tone, the same facial expressions. "I've know about Agent Hotchner for years."

"Ho-How?" Prentiss stuttered. "I never…" She said suddenly looking at Hotch.

"Gran told me." Craig shrugged his shoulders as he took a seat beside them. "You were at some Gala she threw." He said to Hotch. "It was about… Five years ago?"

"I remember…" Hotch said slowly. "I saw you there… And Paul. Ambassador Prentiss introduced me to you as her grandchildren…" He said. "I just assumed they were your brother's…" He said turning to look at Prentiss who's jaw was almost on the floor now.

"Maria, the cook, told her, Mom." Craig said as he took his mother's hand. "Gran has known for a really long time about what happened between you and Agent Hotchner."

"It's Aaron." Hotch said to his… _His Son_. He felt like he was hit with a thousand tonnes of bricks at that moment. He had two more sons and they were with Emily Prentiss. He wasn't quite sure what to say or how to react. Judging by the look on Prentiss's face she wasn't quite sure what to say either. "Are you alright?" He asked her softly.

"I should be asking you that." Prentiss replied with her usual wit. "I've kind of thrown a lot at you tonight… And Craig… Are you?"

"Fine." Craig said sincerely. "Paul's the one you have to worry about. You know what he's like…" Craig replied. Seeing the look on his mother's face though, he quickly added. "Paul knows too… He actually met Agent-Aaron today and said apart from the fact we look like him, it was fine."

"Gemma's here!" Paul yelled happily as he ran down the stairs to get the door. He saw the looks on his mother's face and Craig's face and he knew exactly what was happening. "You all know that we all know?" He asked them as he stopped in his tracks.

"Yeah!" Craig chuckled. "Think Mom's having a stroke!"

"Well… My girlfriend is here so could you look after it?" Paul asked Craig as he opened up the door.

"I've got it covered until Sarah gets here." He replied. "After that we'll take shifts!"

"Deal." Paul grinned as he let Gemma into the apartment. Hotch watch as Gemma studied Paul's face carefully before kissing him. "Let's head upstairs." Hotch heard Paul say to Gemma. "There's baby daddy drama happening up in there!" He chuckled.

"Not your father?" Gemma asked, her eyes growing wide.

"Apparently so!" Paul winked before lacing him fingers through hers and guiding her up the stairs.

"How are you both ok?" Prentiss asked Craig suspiciously. How the hell were her two teenage sons taking this whole mess so well?

"You raised us well." Craig said sincerely. "You had two parents and look at how messed up you turned out!" He joked. "One was good enough for us."

"You still breathing Hotch?" Prentiss asked him slowly. Jesus, if this was a shock to her it must be a serious shock to him. She felt so awful for him right now. It's like he was thrown into some kind of alternative universe that made no sense.

"Still breathing." Hotch replied as he felt himself calm down a little. He could look at this situation in two ways; the first, he could be freaked out and could run, or the second, he could accepted that he fucked up a long time ago and he could try and make amends for past mistakes. "You?"

"Breathing." Prentiss said softly. "Barely though." She said seriously. "Craig could you um…"

"Give you two some space?" Craig said finishing her question. "Sure. I'll also throw in some expected unexpected visits to Paul's room to keep team abstinence one up, because you don't look like you could walk up the stairs!"

"Thanks." She said softly as she watched him walked up the stairs, throwing a look back at Hotch before he did so. "You wanna run away?" She asked Hotch.

"No." He replied sincerely. "They're both…"

"So level headed?" Prentiss asked.

"Yeah." Hotch said.

"They don't get that from me, I can tell you." She said a little flustered. "I've really thrown the kitchen sink at you tonight…" She said a little ashamed.

"How did you manage?" Hotch asked her seriously. "In University I mean. With two small children."

"I had two jobs so I could afford to pay somebody to look after them while I was in college." She replied. "I also had a mother slipping money into my account."

"I'm sorry I wasn't there…" Hotch said softly as he took his hands in hers. "Had I known… I would have been there for you… And my… My sons."

"I already said I knew you are that guy." Prentiss smiled weakly. "So what now?" She asked him after a few moments.

"I don't know…" Hotch replied honestly. "We seem to have dodged the awkward introductions…" He said a little light heartedly. "I… I want to get to know them if that's ok with you and ok with them…?"

"I'm ok with that." Prentiss said slowly. "I think they'll be ok with it too… They're good kids…"

"I can see that." Hotch sighed. "You've done a great job with them considering I left you on your own."

"You didn't leave me on my own, Hotch." Prentiss said seriously. "You had no idea there were miniature Hotchner-Prentiss children running around. I'm the one who's at fault."

"Emily, please call me Aaron…" Hotch said softly. "We have children together… And I'm just as much to blame in all of this. When I remembered what had happened between us… I should have called you straight away. No, I should have gone to your mother's house and spoken to you in person."

"I left for Yale a few hours after you left." Prentiss replied. "You wouldn't have caught me."

"I should have followed you to Yale then." Hotch said shaking his head. "I'm not that guy. I'm not the guy who makes love to someone and then just… Leaves. At least, I didn't think I was that guy."

"You're not that guy, Hotc-Aaron." Prentiss said correcting herself. "You were engaged though. What happened was a mistake and had I not fallen pregnant we could have forgotten all about it."

"But you did have the twins." Hotch countered her. "Since remembering what happened, I haven't been able to forget anyway." Hotch said honestly. "I've always felt guilty about it because Haley was so hurt when she found out. But I also felt guilty because I had treated you so poorly."

"Haley knows?" Prentiss asked, her eyes growing wide. "Why did you tell her?"

"How could I not?" Hotch replied. "I was engaged to her, I couldn't go into a marriage knowing I was keeping a massive secret like that from her. I told her and eventually she forgave me."

"Oh Jesus… I've met her…" Prentiss cringed. "We went out to the Super Bowl that time last year… She was so… Nice."

"She doesn't know that it was you I slept with…" Hotch said quietly. "I never told her it was you."

"Oh, ok." Prentiss said sighing slightly. "That could be the pizza, the Chinese, a girlfriend, or a group of friends." Prentiss said standing up as she went to the door after somebody had knocked. It was in fact the pizza accompanied by Paul's friend's and Craig's girlfriend. She directed them all upstairs and then returned to Hotch. "I don't really know what to say or do right now…"

"Nether do I." Hotch replied. "I know we have a lot to sort out though… An awful lot."

"I know." Prentiss nodded slowly. "Well, I've a lot of explaining to do and I'm willing to do it whenever you want to talk about all of this. We've talked tonight… But maybe you need time to get your head around all of this?"

"I do." Hotch agreed. "I should probably go home now… I have Jack coming over tonight. Can I phone you later?" He asked her. "So I can try and arrange a time for us to have a proper discussion?"

"Sure." Prentiss said softly as she stood up from her seat, following Hotch's movements. "Whenever."

"Thanks." Hotch replied as he turned towards the door but then turned back around to face Prentiss. "I guess I'll talk to you later then…" He said as he looked deep into her eyes.

"I guess so." Prentiss smiled weakly as Hotch opened up the door and took a step outside. He nodded his head at her and started down the hallway. Prentiss slowly shut the door and then leaned heavily against it. For years, nearly sixteen, she had been picturing the moment Hotch found out about her, no, their boys. Needless to say it had gone a lot smoother in her head.

As Hotch walked out of Prentiss's building, out into the night he couldn't help but feel a deep regret in his chest that he never went after Emily. He should have spoken to her after they slept together. Now, because of his stupid behaviour, he had two almost grown sons. He decided, since finding out they were his, that he wanted to form a relationship with them, but would they want a relationship with him? And then there is Emily. He had wronged her in so many ways in the past. He had a lot to make up to her for, would she let him though? And would she maybe consider giving him a chance to have a family? It was obvious to himself that he still carried a torch for the dark haired woman. It was obvious to Dave too, much to Hotch's annoyance. But was it obvious to Emily? And could she maybe be carrying a torch for him? Only time would tell.


	2. Chapter 2

**A.N. Hey readers! Thank you for reading and reviewing the first chapter! I'm surprised that so many people have read it! Here's the next chapter! Sorry it's so short! I'm snowed under with College work at the moment! (and I'm literally snowed under… There's a foot of snow on the ground and it's only November!) Wrote this with a couple minutes of free time I have so excuse my bad grammar! I've about another 14,000 words written after this part so hopefully I'll get that chapter up a little quicker! (might split it into two!) Enjoy this little bit of Hotch & Rossi Bromance. **

CHAPTER TWO.

"Aaron." Dave said smiling when he answered his phone. "Hopefully this is a social call and not a work related one."

"It's a social call, Dave." Hotch replied. "I need advice."

"Well, you know I'm not exactly the best guy to go to when it comes to helpful advice!" Dave chuckled. "But I'll try to be, at the very least, entertaining."

"It's about Emily." Hotch sighed. "And her sons."

"Paul and Craig." Rossi nodded. "You know then."

"That I'm their father? Yeah." Hotch replied. "Wait, you know?"

"She confided in me during her first few months at the BAU." Rossi admitted. "She was… Conflicted. She saw how good you are with Jack and she felt guilty that her sons never had the chance to know you."

"And why didn't you tell me?" Hotch asked a little angrily. "I mean, I can't blame Emily for not telling me. I… Treated her very badly in the past. But you Dave…"

"As I said, she told me in confidence." Rossi replied calmly. "It wasn't my secret to share. But you know now, so let's move past that. What do you need advice on?"

"Paul and Craig… They're 15…" Hotch frowned. "I don't know how I'm supposed to try and connect with them now. I get along well with Jack because he's young and it's easier to be fatherly to a young child than an older one… They are practically grown men. How am I supposed to try and be their Dad?"

"First you need to decide if it's what you want." Rossi replied. "You can't try to be their Dad one day and decide to give up when it's proving difficult. You'll just hurt them and Emily."

"I've already decided that I'm all in on this, Dave." Hotch said seriously. "I don't turn my back on my own flesh and blood."

"Alright." Rossi nodded. "Well, they're 15. You were that age once right? It can't be too hard to connect with them. I've no children myself, but maybe you could try and just be friends with them. Talk about cars, and sports, and girls. Joke around with them, be friendly. Then once you've got a basic bond formed you can start being a parent to them. They're at that age where they're old enough to start making decisions for themselves and can start to guide their own lives. You can be their friend, and then be their father if they need help with anything. It can't be too hard to please a teenager right?"

"I don't know." Hotch said rubbing his temples. "I wasn't exactly a normal teenager, and I'm not exactly the kind of guy who can 'joke around'."

"You can be that kind of guy." Rossi said a little impatiently. "You just choose not to be. You've got a rough couple of months ahead of you." Rossi said honestly. "But I think when you get over the hurdle of getting to know the twins you'll be happy you started the journey… Plus, this opens a lot of doors for you and Emily."

"What do you mean by that?" Hotch asked confused.

"Don't play dumb with me, Aaron!" Rossi chuckled. "I catch all the longing looks, the stolen glances and touches. You're in love with her." He waited for Hotch to reply but none came. "So you're not going to even argue that I'm wrong?" Rossi asked amused.

"It wouldn't do any good." Hotch admitted. "You and I both know I would be lying to you. I do love Emily. I have for quite some time now."

"Well, act on it." Rossi stated as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. "She likes you, Aaron. More than she's willing to admit right now. Use your growing relationship with the twins to further your relationship with Emily."

"Do you think it's not all a bit much?" Hotch asked him. "Taking on two grown up sons and trying to start something with their mother? What if they don't want me to be their father? What if Emily is still angry that I never called her after our… Time together? This is all more complicated than you make it out to be."

"Listen, kid." Rossi said firmly. "I've got three marriages under my belt, and dozens of relationships. If there's one thing I know, it's relationships. Befriend the Prentiss family, love will follow shortly."

"I think you mean three FAILED marriages Dave!" Hotch chuckled. "I guess I have nothing to lose by giving it a shot though…"

"No, you don't." Rossi confirmed. "I expect to be best man at the wedding though. I'm very experienced when it comes to Bachelor parties!"

"We'll see, Dave!" Hotch grinned. "I better go… I'll talk to you on Monday."

"Probably before Monday if I know your worrying mind at all." Rossi replied. "Good Luck Aaron. If Paul and Craig are anything like our Emily… Well, you're going to need it!"


End file.
